


Relife

by sonderwrites



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Azkaban, Azkaban Breakout, Black Hermione Granger, Bodyswap, Book 1: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Death Eaters, Gen Work, Gryffindor Tom Riddle, Novel, Reincarnation, The Golden Trio Era (Harry Potter), there will be some ships but it's not the main focus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:00:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26263837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sonderwrites/pseuds/sonderwrites
Summary: When Tom Riddle dies, he ends up in 11-year-old Harry Potter's body, and he decides to make Harry better than he was the first time around.
Comments: 12
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1

Tom had always been afraid of dying. He didn’t know what would happen afterwards, he just assumed he’d just fall into the abyss, gone forever. That’s why he wanted power, so he wouldn’t be forgotten, like so many seem to be. He doesn’t want to die at all, either. That was why he wasn’t going to. Others would die by his hand, but he would live forever. And to Tom, that seemed pretty alright.

What he had not expected was what actually happened after he _did_ die. Somehow, he had been killed by Harry Potter, but that wasn’t his concern at all. He wasn’t lost in the abyss. He wasn’t even in hell. And no, he definitely wasn’t in heaven. He was alive again, that was for sure, but he could tell straight away that it wasn’t his body. Though it had been a long time since he’d been in it, Tom could also tell he wasn’t in his younger self’s body. Although, he seemed to be pretty young. Tom touches his hair first. Very, very messy. Tom doesn’t like that. He’d have to fix that soon. He notices a frame around his eyesight next. Glasses. Tom had never worn glasses in his life, and now obviously he had bad eyesight and had to wear them. Tom moves his hand further up his face. His eyes go wide. Lying under his hair and on his forehead was a scar. Tom traced it with his finger. He had a lightning scar on his forehead. No, not _his_ forehead, Harry Potter’s forehead. 

Tom had died and reincarnated into Harry’s body… but not present day body, eleven-year-old body… 

Tom knows exactly where he is. King’s Cross station, just outside platform 9 ¾, most likely where Harry was headed before Tom somehow just took over? He still doesn’t know how, or even why this is happening, but if he has to be Harry Potter, he’s going to do it well. Starting now. 

It’s been 72 years since Tom first started at Hogwarts. Well, technically 65 years, if the current year is 1991. But Hogwarts was still Hogwarts, and Tom knew Hogwarts. He would make Harry do much better than before. Starting with being in Slytherin, and of course, well, not killing Voldemort. 

Honestly, Tom isn’t all that bothered about having to be Harry Potter. It means he’s not dead, and there’s so much he can do with this life. For a start, he’s now famous, instead of just some mudblood from an orphanage that everyone considered Tom to be when he started. With any luck, Harry will turn out to be even better than the best that Tom was in his last life. He will be unbeatable. The greatest wizard ever known. And it’s okay for Tom to beat Voldemort in greatness, because he’s still the same person in a sense. It’s like beating your personal best. 

Tom wonders if every time someone is murdered, they have to go live as their murderer. And now he’s thinking about how many people would have had to be him. In an alternate universe, no doubt. But still, he can’t see anyone lasting two days as him, even if they started in the same spot that Tom started as Harry. 

While Tom had been mulling this new life over in his head, and starting to try and neaten out Harry’s very messy hair, a red headed woman had appeared nearby. Tom had easily recognised her. Molly Weasley. Mother of Harry’s best friend. Well, not yet, technically. And Tom doesn’t plan on letting that happen. 

“—packed with muggles, of course—” she’s saying. Tom doesn’t really know whether to just go through the wall or not. Because did Harry actually know how to do that in his first year, or would Tom have to wait until no one’s looking? “Now, what’s the platform number?”

“Nine and three quarters!” pipes in the little Weasley girl. It takes Tom a second, but he remembers her name. Ginevra Weasley. “Mum, can’t I go…”

Tom probably shouldn’t just be standing here, though. Because he might end up bumping into a blob of orange hair if he stays. And if anyone asks, he’ll just say he already learnt all about Hogwarts and platform 9 ¾ before. Tom doesn’t really know why he’s stressing about it anyway, as if anyone would actually care about this very simple thing. 

Tom starts turning his trolley around. It’s actually the first time he properly looked at it. There’s a snowy owl sitting in the cage on the top. Tom can’t remember it’s name, though he’s pretty sure one of his death eaters killed it. It’s actually quite a pretty owl. But he really shouldn’t have been admiring the owl, because now the Weasleys have caught up.

“Hello, dear. First time at Hogwarts? Are you lost?” Molly Weasley asks. No to both of those. But he’s eleven year old Harry Potter now. Although, no one’s ever actually met Harry in the Wizarding world before, so he can make him whoever he likes. And when he goes back to the… Dursleys? Is that what they’re called? Well, he’ll just say that Hogwarts changed him if he’s any different from the Harry they knew. 

But Tom _has_ been standing around, as if lost, and he doesn’t want to be known as some dopey kid, so he says, “yes, where’s platform 9 ¾?” 

Molly nods to platform nine. “Of course, dear. All you have to do is walk straight through the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don’t stop, and don’t be scared you’ll crash into it, that’s very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you’re nervous. Go on, go now before Ron. He’s just starting at Hogwarts this year too.”

Tom nods, and turns towards the entrance, but then Ronald gasps, and claps his hand over his mouth. He runs over to Tom. 

“Wait, woah, are you Harry Potter?” Ronald asks in astonishment. 

Tom has to take his hand off his head before he realises why Ronald suddenly realised that. Whilst he was unconsciously trying to neaten his hair again, he must have lifted up his fringe to reveal Harry’s scar. 

“Yes, I am,” Tom says. “And you’re Ronald Weasley.”

“You know my name?” Ronald says in even more amazement than before. 

Tom smiles smugly.

“I think you might want to close your mouth,” Tom says. 

Ronald realises how wide he’s gaping, and quickly does as Tom says. Tom then turns away and runs at the barrier. He really doesn’t want or need anything to do with the Weasleys. They may be purebloods, but they’re also poor blood traitors. Very useless. While he could have used them if this was his actual first time at Hogwarts, to teach him about the wizarding world, he certainly didn’t need them now. 

He’s now on Platform 9 ¾, and decides to hang around in the middle. Tom can assess everyone much easier from this position, and people might also see and recognise him from here. Which means if he thinks them worthy, that gives him a good opportunity to give them a sort of interview. Since Ronald already knows he’s here as well, that means more people will be on the lookout if Ronald spreads the word around. And oh, look who comes over first. 

“You’re Harry Potter,” says Draco Malfoy. 

Tom knows Malfoys. He also knows Draco. While he isn’t the fondest of Draco himself, he’s still a Malfoy, which means he’s still rich and powerful. 

“I am,” Tom says. 

“I can’t believe I didn’t recognise you at Madam Malkins!” Draco exclaims. Tom pretends to know exactly what he’s talking about.

“We all make mistakes. Sometimes. Like how I didn’t notice you were Draco Malfoy until now,” Tom says.

“You’ve heard of me?” Draco asks, astonished. Tom likes knowing people’s names, it gives him a bit of a power rush. 

“How could I not have heard of a Malfoy?” Tom says. 

“Right, of course. You’re famous, so you must know of other famous people,” Draco replies. Tom doesn’t really think ‘famous’ is the right word to describe Draco exactly, but it’s not important.

“Yes, and let’s not forget your father works for the man who killed my parents,” Tom can only just avoid smiling at that. Tom’s not supposed to be happy about Harry’s parents—well _Tom’s_ parents now—being dead.

“Oh. Yeah. But he’s dead now. You killed him,” Draco informs Tom, as if he doesn’t know why he’s famous.

“Oh yes, of course he is. Definitely. And I hope he burns in the pits of hell,” Tom says. “But, just out of curiosity, is Lucius still, you know…”

“Is he what?” Draco asks.

“You know, is he still loyal to Vol- you-know-who?” Tom asks. He’d forgotten that no one is supposed to say his name. Or rather, it seems at this point everyone is afraid to, even if everyone thinks Voldemort is dead. 

“Oh. Well I’m not sure,” Draco says.

“Ok, but does your father think that you-know-who could still be out there? Because he _is_ meant to be immortal, isn’t he?” Tom asks.

Draco shrugs nervously.

“Well he doesn’t really talk about it,” Draco says. 

“Doesn’t he?” Tom says with a blank face that only looks murderous if you look close enough. At least he hopes it does. He hasn’t fully figured out Harry’s face, and he doubts Harry would have spent hours in his room trying to contort his face in all the right ways to make his expressions perfect, so the muscles wouldn’t be as exercised. 

The train arrives before they can talk anymore, and Tom quickly gets on. He sits in an empty compartment, and stares out the window. The door opens.

“Can I sit in here?” asks someone. And it’s Ronald. Tom is about to say, ‘no, go away’, but Ronald seems to decide he doesn’t need to wait for a reply, and sits inside anyway. Honestly, why is Ronald so obsessed with Harry that he has to follow him everywhere when all Tom wants is for him to be _gone_? “So, Harry… Can I call you that?”

Tom just wants to glare at him to make him leave, but he hasn't tested Harry’s glares, and he’s not sure they’ll look threatening enough. 

“Well what else would you call me, Ronald?”

“I’m not sure. But you can call me Ron if you want. You know, instead of Ronald,” Ronald says. Of course Tom doesn’t want to, because then it will seem like he’s being friendly with the Weasley, and he definitely doesn’t want that.

“I think I’ll stick with Ronald,” Tom tells him. 

Just then, the trolley lady trundles by. She opens the door and looks inside, smiling.

“Anything off the trolley, dears?” she asks.

“It’s alright, I’ve got my lunch sorted,” Ronald says sadly, holding up a sandwich. Tom shakes his head as well, and the trolley lady moves on. Tom hadn’t had very much money at all during his youth, and certainly not any in his first year, but he realises too late that Harry Potter is actually pretty rich, having inherited money off his parents. It doesn’t really matter anyway, Tom has no need for sweets.

Just when Tom thought they would be left alone, someone else peeks inside.

“Sorry, but have you seen a toad at all?” asks the boy. Neville Longbottom. 

Tom gets up.

“No,” he says, and then forces the door shut again, before sitting back down. Tom wants some peace. Ronald doesn’t seem to notice. 

“Hey, do you know any spells?” Ronald asks.

“Yes,” Tom says, and takes out his wand. It took him a while to find it, and it shocked him when he touched it. Though he knew he should have expected it, it surprised him when he realised that this wand is not his own. It’s Harry Potter’s. It would probably take him a little while to get used to it, then. But it still has the feather from the same phoenix, so it shouldn’t be all that bad.

“Oh that’s cool! I only know one that my brother gave me the other day to make Scabbers more interesting,” he takes out his wand and puts his rat on his lap. “Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,

Turn this stu-”

“Stop, stop, just stop,” Tom can’t bear watching Ronald dishonour spells. “If you want to turn Wormtail yellow, that’s not the way. I’ll show you.”

“Wormtail? His name is Scabbers,” Ronald says, pointing to his rat. 

“Of course he is, how silly of me,” Tom agrees, laughing on the inside.

Tom is about to show him proper magic, when someone _else_ opens up the door. She’s about to say something, then notices Tom’s wand, and seems to change what she’s going to say.

“Oh, are you doing magic? Let’s see it, then,” says the girl. She has bushy dark brown hair, brown eyes, and brown skin. This girl is Hermione Granger. She’s booksmart, but so is Tom, and he has 60 years of actual experience, something this 11-year-old mudblood couldn’t possibly have, so Tom decides that Hermione is also useless.

Tom flicks his wand and says, “Colovaria.” The rat’s fur turns yellow.

“Wow! It really worked!” Ronald exclaims.

“Well I am the-boy-who-lived,” Tom smiles smugly. 

“I’ve only learnt a few simple spells myself, just for practice, and they’ve all worked for me, as well. Nobody in my family’s magic at all, and it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it’s the best school of witchcraft there is, I’ve heard—I’ve learnt all our set books off by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough—I’m Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?” Hermione says quickly. 

Ronald looks stunned, but he manages to mutter, “I’m Ron Weasley.”

Tom remembers who he is, and says, “and I’m Harry Potter.”

“Are you really?” says Hermione. “I know all about you, of course—I got a few extra books for background reading, and you’re in Modern Magical History, The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century. Did you know?” Tom didn’t know, actually. Which is a surprise. But he wouldn’t let Hermione know.

“Yes of course I know. I wanted to find out everything I could,” Tom says. 

“Do either of you know what house you’ll be in? I’ve been asking around, and I hope I’m in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best, I hear Dumbledore himself was one, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn’t be too bad…” Hermione says.

“And you think it’s good, do you?” Tom raises an eyebrow. 

“What’s good?” Hermione asks.

“You think it’s a good thing that _Dumbledore_ is in the house you want to be in?” Tom asks. 

“Yes of course, he’s only the greatest wizard of our time,” Hermione says. 

“Well, I suppose we’re all entitled to our own opinions,” Tom shrugs.

“Anyway, I’d better go. You two had better change, you know, I expect we’ll be arriving soon,” and then she leaves. Finally. 

“Whatever house I’m in, I hope she’s not in it,” says Ronald after she leaves.

“Isn’t everyone in your family a Gryffindor?” Tom says, genuinely curious, because if he’s wrong, and it’s turns out he’s a Slytherin, well for a start he’d wonder what went wrong with the sorting, and secondly, he doesn’t want even the slightest chance he could end up in the same house as Ronald. 

“Yep. I don’t know what they’d say if I’m not. I don’t suppose Ravenclaw _would_ be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin,” Ronald says gloomily. 

“That would be just terrible,” Tom says honestly. 

“I know right? _It’s the house you-know-who was in_!” Ronald whispers, as if he’s scared Voldemort will hear and curse him for spreading unharmful information. Poor Ronald. He’s speaking to the wrong guy if he’s worried about that. 

“Really? I had no idea,” Tom says sarcastically. Clearly, Ronald hasn't learnt what sarcasm is. 

“You didn’t? I thought you would’ve known everything about him,” Ronald says. 

“I do,” Tom smiles. 

The compartment doors open again, and this time it’s Draco Malfoy and his poorly chosen followers. 

“So Potter, you’re in this compartment, are you?” Draco seems to be acting more superior-like than before, probably because he has company other than Tom now, and wants to keep up a good reputation. 

“That’s correct,” Tom says. He doesn’t mind if Draco stays, but he still doesn’t like him all that much, and he won’t pretend to. 

“Oh, this is Crabbe, and this is Goyle,” Draco says, indicating the two standing behind him. Is Tom meant to be impressed by them? Because he really isn’t. He made sure he always had the best followers, even at school. These guys did not seem even slightly impressive. Draco appears to have just noticed the other person in the compartment, and looks at Ronald. “No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford.” Ronald glares at Draco, who looks back smugly, then turns back to Tom. “Clearly, you haven't quite figured out that some wizarding families are better than others. I would have thought you had, seeing as you knew so much about me. You don’t want to go making friends with the wrong sort. But never mind, I can help there.”

He holds out his hand. Tom isn’t going to shake it. He won’t shake anyone’s hand except his own, which in this world, he can. 

Tom doesn’t need Draco’s help. Why on earth would he? He’s a powerful wizard, but not only that, he’s trained himself to only pick out the right types of people. Useful people. And there’s no way Draco is better at it than him. 

“I think I can figure that out for myself, thanks,” Tom says. Draco obviously gets the wrong message. He must think that Tom meant he didn’t want to hang around _Draco_. Which is of course completely wrong. And now Ronald seems to have gotten a similar message as well, and looks happy. 

“I’d be careful if I were you, Potter,” Draco says slowly. 

Draco is offended and embarrassed, Tom can tell by the pink of his cheeks, but he’s not showing anymore than that, and you probably wouldn’t be able to pick it out as precisely as Tom can, being an expert at controlling everything his face does. Emphasis on _his_ , not Harry’s yet, but he hopes he can still do it pretty well, anyway. At least enough to fool some eleven-year-olds.

“Unless you’re a bit politer, you’ll go the same way as your parents. They didn’t know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riff-raff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it’ll rub off on you.” Well at least Draco has told him something slightly useful. Apparently Harry is close to Hagrid. Another friendship to end soon. Honestly, Hagrid was better off in Azkaban. 

Ronald stands up, his face red. “Say that again,” Ronald says. Draco smirks.

“Oh, you’re going to fight us, are you?” He sneers. Tom tries to give Ronald a look to make him stand down, so he can talk to Draco without being in the middle of a fight.

“Draco, I think you-” begins Tom calmly, but Ronald hadn't gotten the message, and he yells back at Draco.

“I will. Unless you get out now,” Ronald says. 

“But we don’t feel like leaving, do we boys?” Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle, step further into the compartment, ready for a fight. 

A fight breaks out, and it ends with Wormtail biting into Goyle’s knuckles, and the three fleeing. Damnit. 

“You’ve met Malfoy before?” Ronald asks. 

“Yes,” Tom says grumpily. Ronald probably assumes it’s because he doesn’t like Draco. 

“I’ve heard of his family,” Ronald says. “They were some of the first to go back to our side after you-know-who disappeared. Said they’d been bewitched. My dad doesn’t believe it. He says Malfoy’s father didn’t need an excuse to go over to the dark side.”

“Did they?” Tom says darkly, making a mental note. Maybe there is some point to all of this. 

The compartment doors open _yet again_ , and Hermione is back. 

“What _has_ been going on?” Hermione asks, looking at Wormtail half dead on the floor. “Were you trying magic again?”

“Can we help you with something?” Ronald says stiffly. 

“You’d better hurry up and put your robes on, I’ve just been up the front to ask the driver and he says we’re nearly there,” says Hermione. Tom isn’t going to take orders from a mudblood. 

“We’ll change later. Now can you leave?” Tom says. 

“Alright, I just came in here because-” began Hermione. 

“ _Now_?” Tom snaps. Hermione huffs, but she does leave, and Ronald is left glaring out at her. They end up changing, though Tom is annoyed that Ronald hasn’t left him alone yet.

They arrive, go on the boats with Hagrid to Hogwarts, and the sorting ceremony starts. Tom’s name is eventually called, and he steps up to be sorted for the second time in his life. 

“Interesting, very interesting…” says the hat.

“Just put me in Slytherin,” Tom demands.

“You’re not Harry potter, you’re Tom Riddle…” the hat mutters.

“Yes, exactly. Now do your job and put me in Slytherin,” Tom snaps in his mind.

“No, wait a minute. This happens a lot more than you might expect. Tell me Tom, what house was Harry Potter in in your universe?” the hat asks.

“Gryffindor. But that doesn’t matter. I’m not Harry. I’m Slytherin through-and-through, I mean I’m literally the heir. Now put me in Slytherin, you old hat!” Tom barks. 

“No, I think I’ll put you in Gryffindor…”

“What? I’m nothing like those stupid Gryffindors!”

“I’m sorry, but I like keeping timelines consistent.”

“You’ll pay for this…” 

“GRYFFINDOR!”

Tom, feeling very, very, very, annoyed, slumps over to the Gryffindor table and sits at a random spot, grumbling at the cheering the Gryffindor table does for him. Of course he had to end up in the same house as the annoying bastards Ronald and Hermione…

Tom tries to ignore everyone as they sit in their red common room, but everyone just wants to fan over him and not leave him alone! Tom sneaks into the bathroom, and starts by looking in the mirror and trying to neaten the bird nest of hair that Harry has. Turns out the hair refuses to change its form no matter what, and Tom is left looking deflated with what seems like even messier hair than when he first started. Well anyway, time for the face. Turns out Harry is better at doing the facial expressions Tom wanted than he first thought, and he spent the rest of the time just perfecting smiles. People are probably wondering why he’s taking so long in the bathroom, but they don’t matter. 

He goes to bed not feeling very happy at all, with Ronald sleeping in the bed opposite him. But tomorrow will be better, Tom will make sure of it… 

***

The next day, on their way to their first class, Tom makes a cut and walks over to where the first year Slytherins are heading. He sees Draco and stops him. 

“Draco! Come over here,” Tom leads him over to a corner.

“What do you want, Potter?” Draco growls.

“Look, I hate Ronald and Hermione, and it’s you that I want,” Tom says, leading him deeper into the corner. Draco looks confused.

“But I thought you said that I was the wrong sort?” Draco says.

“No, I said that I could figure out who’s better than others myself. And that means you, Draco,” Tom says smoothly.

“Oh. You’re a Gyffindor though, so why should I have anything to do with you?” Draco asks.

Tom should tell him. He really should. It would make things so much easier.

“Because, Draco Malfoy, I may be in Harry Potter’s body, but I’m Voldemort.”

Draco swallows. “What? You can’t be! That’s impossible!”

“I know it’s impossible, but it happened. In my universe, Harry Potter killed me, and I ended up here somehow,” Tom told him.

“Wait, so when you tried to kill Harry, you weren’t really defeated, you just got moved into his body? That’s kind of cooler than just having Harry survive,” Draco says.

“Sort of. It wasn’t the ‘death’ you’re thinking of, this happened seven years from now,” Tom explains.

“Wait but you’re in Gryffindor. How did that happen?” Draco asks suspiciously.

“The sorting hat is an idiot,” Tom says irritably. 

“I dunno. Can you, you know, prove you’re… you-know-who?” Draco asks. 

“What more do you want? I’ve already shown you how much I know about you Malfoys. Did you really think Harry would know that?” Tom says. Why was it so hard to convince Draco? “I also know a lot more about magic than any seventh year at this school.”

“R- right, okay. So, um, you’re you-know-who. Okay,” Draco says shakily. 

“So I need you to be my eyes and ears in Slytherin, because obviously I’m not there. Got that?” Tom says.

“Ok, um, m- my lord. Should I call you that?” Draco asks.

“Sure, but not in front of others, I don’t want this getting out,” Tom says. One person, a death eater no less, is an okay amount of people knowing. Anymore, or _Dumbledore_ , and things could start to get bad. “On that note, if you tell anyone about this, well, let’s just say you’ll regret it.” Technically, being a minor, his threat can’t go far, but Draco doesn’t know that. 

“Ok, I won’t,” Draco says, trying hard to inject confidence into his voice. 

They run off in opposite directions to class. Tom is feeling satisfied. He knew today would go better, and it’d better keep getting better each day.


	2. Chapter Two

Things have begun to run a lot more smoothly. Although Ronald and Hermione still insist on being Tom’s friend, and he still hasn’t figured out a way to end the friendship without drawing attention, he does spend a lot more time with Draco than anyone else, and if Draco minds, he doesn’t show it. 

At one point, Tom gets given a note from Harry’s owl.

_ Dear Harry, _

_ I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig. _

_ Hagrid _

Ah, so the owl’s name must be Hedwig! 

Tom accepts the offer, but only because he wants to never see Hagrid again, and having just one meetup seems like a good opportunity. 

Their first Defence Against The Dark Arts class is much more painful than Tom was expecting. Like, the class literally hurts him.

Whenever Quirrell turns away to face the black board, Tom’s scar hurts. Of course he knows why, seeing as he was the one stuck to the back of Quirrell's head once, but he honestly hadn’t expected it to hurt  _ this  _ much. He spends most of the class clutching at his scar, and trying to numb the headache that’s building, almost pitying all the years Harry had to deal with this. Almost.

Despite the pain of the class, Tom is kind of happy to see Quirrel again (not that he could actually see him last time, being directly on the back of his head, and suffocating in a turban), because it’s hard not to get attached to someone that you were once literally attached to. It’s a shame he had to die. 

Their first potions class isn’t painful, but slightly weird, though Tom rolls with it anyway. 

Tom really doesn’t like Severus. Although he had originally been sceptical when Harry Potter first told him about Severus betraying Tom, it kind of makes sense now, and thus he doesn’t like Severus.

“Ah yes,” Severus says when he sees Tom, “Harry Potter. Our new—celebrity.”

“That’s right,” Tom says, trying his best not to death stare Severus.

Severus proceeds to explain their class, and then he turns back to Tom again.

“Potter!” Severus says abruptly. “What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?”

Of course Tom knows the answer, but clearly the curriculum has changed if these are the kinds of questions they’re asking first years before they’re even taught anything at all. 

Hermione sticks her hand in the air, but Tom speaks before Severus even thinks about choosing her. 

“Draught of living death,” Tom tells him snappishly.

“Which is?” Severus says.

“A powerful sleeping potion that makes you appear dead,” Tom answers.

“Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?”

“They’re found in the stomach of a goat.” 

“And what’s the difference between Monkshood and Wolfsbane?” 

“They’re the same thing.” 

“Very well, I suppose you’re not as incompetent as you look,” Severus turns back to the rest of the class. “Well? Why aren’t you all copying that down?”

Tom knows flower language, but he only realises now that Severus may have been using it when he asked the first question. It meant, ‘I bitterly regret Lily’s death’. Severus was talking about Lily Potter. But why should  _ he  _ be the one regretting it? It’s not Severus’ fault, it was Lily’s, because  _ she didn’t get out of Tom’s way _ . Tom would have spared her, like Severus had asked him to, but of course she was stupid, and only wanted to protect Harry and not herself. It isn’t Severus’ fault. 

After they left Potions, Tom made his way down to Hagrid’s hut. When Tom knocks, he can hear a frantic scrabbling coming from inside, and several booming barks. Tom can hear Hagrid yelling, “ _ Back _ , Fang— _ back _ .”

Hagrid’s hairy face appears in the crack as he pulls the door open.

“Hang on,” he says. “ _ Back _ , Fang.”

He lets Tom in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of a boarhound, who Tom assumes is called Fang. 

“Make yerself at home,” says Hagrid, letting go of Fang.

Tom attempts to dodge the giant dog, but it comes tumbling over anyway, and starts to lick Tom’s ears, much to his disgust.

Hagrid hands Tom a plate of rock cakes, which break Tom’s teeth. He eats a tiny bit, and then pretends he’s full. 

On Hagrid’s request, Tom tells Hagrid in short detail all about his ‘first’ lessons. 

Tom tries repeatedly to let Hagrid down slowly, but he always starts talking again, about Fang, or other animals, or even Filch. At one point Tom is so bored that he picks up a random piece of paper he finds and starts reading it, ignoring Hagrid, who doesn’t seem to notice. The paper is a Daily Prophet cutting all about the break in at Gringotts Bank. Oh that’s right, Quirrell had tried to steal the Philosopher’s stone right about on Harry’s birthday. Tom… still wants that stone. Maybe this time he’ll get it. But then again he still won’t be able to get the stone out of the mirror, so maybe he  _ will  _ need Ronald or Hermione. Just this once, to tag along with him to get the stone. Perhaps Hermione. 

The rest of their classes are a bit uneventful, except for their first flying class where Draco steals Neville’s remembrall and flies off with it. It’s really very stupid. He’s going to get into trouble, and what’s the point of stealing a remembrall anyway? They’re completely useless, everyone knows it. Tom may have stolen a bunch of things in his youth, but they at least seemed useful at the time. Yo-yos probably have their uses, and when Tom got older, well, things like house heirlooms definitely also have their uses, like becoming horcruxes. Draco may have been trying to ensure his dominance, but there are much better ways to do it. Still though, Tom doesn’t say anything, he doesn’t even glare. 

Though, the most embarrassing thing happens just after Charms class where they had learned Wingardium Leviosa. Ronald gets annoyed at Hermione, but Tom walks over to her awkwardly.

“Hermione, I want you to know that you’re my… friend,” Tom says. Yes, that’s got to be the most embarrassing thing he’s ever done. But he has his reasons. He always has his reasons. He just wants the Philosopher’s Stone.

Ronald looks offended, but Hermione slowly looks down, embarrassed, and smiles.

“Oh. Th- thanks, Harry,” Hermione says. Tom can’t help smiling back. 

***

Tom had forgotten about what happened at Halloween. They’re happily eating their feast when Quirrel comes in and announces that there’s a troll in the dungeons. 

Dumbeldore tells them all to head back to their dorms, which they do, and the feast is moved up there. Tom can’t exactly remember what happens with Quirrell and the troll, but he starts to realise something, and he’ll need to go talk to Draco soon. 

***

“Hey Harry, what are you doing?” Ronald asks again. He has been pestering Tom constantly ever since Tom declared Hermione his friend, and still refuses to say it to Ronald. Or more like, ever since Tom died, but he seems to be insisting on being even more irritating than usual. 

“Nothing,” Tom says, sinking deeper into the chair he’s sitting on, and burying his face further into the book he’s reading.

“Hey Harry, why have you been ignoring me and just hanging out with Malfoy and sometimes Hermione?” Ronald asks. 

“I’m allowed to ignore you because you’re not my friend, okay?” Tom snaps. 

Ronald sighs and starts pacing the common room. 

“Well, if I’m not your friend, why do you sit with me in class?” Ronald asks.

“I don’t, you sit next to  _ me _ ,” Tom says. “I always get there first, but you insist on joining me.”

“Hey Harry-” Ronald begins, but Tom stops him this time.

“Ronald, would you like to meet a giant, fluffy dog?” Tom asks, smiling unnaturally broadly. 

“What?”

“Head to the third floor corridor, and he’ll be waiting there,” Tom promises. 

“Um, I don’t think we’re allowed.”

“Then leave me alone.”

***

Most of the time when Tom wants to talk to Draco he just finds him and corners him, because Draco is always so nervous whenever he’s around Tom now, so Tom has to make sure he has no escape. Once a week though, Draco comes to  _ Tom _ .

“So, um, in Slytherin, Peregrine Derrick started dating Miles Bletchley, and Tracey Davis just got the hairiest white cat ever, and now everyone’s clothes are full of cat hair because it’s decided to claim anything that’s black and shed all over it, and there’s also a bunch of people who are allergic to cat hair, so they’re not fun to be around…” Draco realises he’s started ranting, and then quickly shuts up. 

“That’s great, but frankly I don’t care at all. About any of that. I may have wanted to dominate the school when I went there the first time, but I’m over that, and it’s time to get back to more important stuff, like dominating the  _ world _ ,” Tom says, smirking a bit. 

“Oh, so you don’t want updates on Slytherin anymore?” Draco asks, looking a mix between grateful and disappointed.

Tom didn’t answer that, just letting him figure it out by himself. “Draco, it’s time I let my death eaters know I’m back. In one form or another.”

Draco looks shocked, but then he asks carefully, “my lord, aren’t they all in Azkaban?” 

“True. But we can break them out. I’ve done it before,” Tom says confidently.

“I don’t mean to be… you know… but do you really think you can do that? After all, you’re just a first-year. At least, you look like one,” Draco says.

“You must never underestimate my powers, Draco,” Tom says. But it isn’t a command, more said in a way that sounded like Tom was telling him facts. 

“Oh, of course, my lord,” Draco says. 

And so Tom will plot until the Christmas holidays, and then he will begin his plan, and he  _ will _ break out Bellatrix and the others. 

***

Tom had told the school that he’s going home to Dursleys, but he’s definitely not. He’s headed straight to Azkaban. But not in the prisoner way, if his plan goes correctly. 

When he arrives he tries to get the attention of a dementor. “Excuse me, can I go in there?”

“Sure, if you wanna be stuck there forever,” the dementor replies, because dementors can speak now.

“Is that a yes?” Tom clarifies.

The dementor leads him inside and locks him into a cell, but before it leaves, Tom has to ask something else. “Is this a high-security cell? Because I want one of those,” Tom says.

The dementor snorts and leads him away. “If you want, kid.” 

Even in the high-security area, you can see the other prisoners opposite you in their cells, and the one directly opposite Tom wants to talk to him for some reason.

“Harry?” they say. 

It’s dark and Tom can barely see, although the dementor was kind enough to not take away his stuff, including his glasses, which isn’t very good security-wise, but it works for Tom. When Tom adjusts to the light, he can see a man slumped in the cell opposite with long, poorly cared for black hair. He looks just about as unclean and half-dead as every other prisoner Tom had seen on his way here. 

“Sirius Black?” Tom says. 

“Is it really you?” Sirius says, moving closer to the bars. “What are you doing here?”

Tom can’t be bothered lying. It isn’t as if Sirius can do anything with the information he’ll tell him. “I’m going to break some death eaters out.”

Sirius seems like he means to laugh, but his voice is too broken and strained to speak properly, let alone laugh. “What?”

“Yes. Now have you seen Bellatrix around? I want to talk to her. I don’t really care about you. Um, sorry,” Tom says. 

Sirius blinks, but doesn’t reply. 

“You know what? I’ll just…” Tom takes his wand out of his pocket, because the dementor hadn’t even thought of taking  _ that  _ away, and casts Alohomora. 

He walks out of his cell block and goes down the aisles, Sirius staring after him, and other prisoners glaring. Finally, deep inside one cell, he spots the unmistakable Bellatrix Lestrange. 

“Bellatrix!” Tom whispers sharply into the cell. 

Bellatrix immediately gets up and springs to the bars. She looks terrible. Of course that was to be expected, being locked up in Azkaban for so long. Though not even that could truly take away all of her beauty. Not that Tom had ever really been attracted to her, she’s just aesthetically pleasing.

Tom takes a step back. 

“Potter?” she hisses, her voice coloured with hatred and distrust. 

“Well, no. It’s Voldemort,” Tom says. 

“How dare you claim to be the dark lord, you filthy half-blood!” Bellatrix spits. 

Tom is mildly offended. Both for being accused of lying, and for being called ‘filthy’ because of his blood status. Bellatrix may think that he’s Harry Potter, and would never say that to Tom if she knew who he was (and not because she doesn’t know he’s not a pureblood, she does, but because Bellatrix is way too devoted to him for her own good, and would never dream of hurting Tom), but Tom is still a half-blood as well, as much as he detests it, and hearing her say that makes his stomach twist in a weird way. 

“Bellatrix, this may sound strange, but I assure you, I am. I… died, in 1998, seven years from now, and then I got reincarnated into Harry’s body. But I swear, I’m still Voldemort,” Tom says.

Bellatrix is clearly still very, very suspicious, but she doesn’t say anything more. She just watches Tom closely. 

“Now, I’m here to break you out,” Tom explains. “Last time we just got the dementors and giants to side with us, and mind you, dementors seem  _ very  _ easy to persuade, but this time…” Tom takes out his wand. “I have a wand, so it’ll be much quicker and easier.” 

Bellatrix is still silent as Tom casts alohomora, and then steps away so Bellatrix can get out. She carefully opens the door, and cautiously steps out, not turning her back on Tom for even a second. Tom waits patiently for Bellatrix to do or say something else.

“Are you really him?” Bellatrix asks in almost a whisper.

“I really am,” Tom confirms. 

“You’re different,” Bellatrix says, still clearly suspicious. Tom doesn’t blame her though, it’s a very hard thing to believe. 

“It’s a side effect of being in Harry Potter’s body, I suppose,” Tom says with a grin.

“What do you remember?” Bellatrix asks. She’s not going to budge from her spot until she’s certain that Tom is Tom. 

“Everything. I think,” Tom says. “I even still remember when you first became a death eater.” Tom smiles softly. Harry wouldn’t have been born yet when that happened, and no one from outside Tom’s ranks knows what happened anyway, so Bellatrix will have to believe him. 

After a long while of Tom sharing whatever memories that Bellatrix requests--of course, nothing that happens after this point in time, though--Bellatrix ends up believing him, and looks much brighter now, even if there still are dementors everywhere sucking out their happiness. 

Tom is about to just leave when he remembers that there are other death eaters still imprisoned, and so he lets them out. Though most of them are very confused about what has just happened, they follow him out of Azkaban anyway, with Sirius left just calling out for Harry. 

Once they’re a safe distance from Azkaban, Tom tells them all to wait there whilst he collects their stuff from wherever it’s stored. When he comes back, some of the death eaters are involved in a massive fist fight.

“What are you doing? Stop that right now!” Tom snaps. 

They hesitate, but eventually they stop, and Tom hands Bellatrix her wand and other things first.

“Now, if you promise that you believe I’m Voldemort, and you’re all still loyal to me, I will give you back your things. If not, you’re going straight back in there,” Tom says. “And you know I can tell when you’re lying.”

A few protests break out at first, like, “why has Lestrange got her stuff back already?”, “I’d rather be in Azkaban than take orders from Harry Potter!”, and, “I’m not going to trust you, looking like that!”

Tom just silently glares at them as he waits for them to die down, and when they eventually do, he says calmly, “now, who would like to go first?”

No one makes a move until Bellatrix decides to point her wand at them. “You’re all pathetic, unloyal, cowards. How can you call yourself a death eater when you don’t even recognise your own lord? He may be in Harry Potter’s body, but if you’re truly loyal, you’ll look past that. Our lord is just as great and powerful no matter his form. Now, if you don’t agree, you can die.” Bellatrix is clearly ignoring the fact that she, too, had originally not believed it when Tom told her who he is. 

This seems to have at least some effect, and a few death eaters step over to promise their loyalty. Tom hesitantly gives them their things, and then waits for the next people. Eventually there are still a couple left lingering about, not convinced, and so Tom tells Bellatrix that no, she can’t kill them, they’ll just go back to Azkaban. Tom, however, still keeps a hold of their things, just in case he finds a use for them in the future. 

“But how did you break us out so easily? Surely there must have been better security, or there would have been a lot more breakouts before us,” says Rookwood. 

“Well, I don’t think any dementor would let an adult just stroll in there, because those might actually be dangerous, but of course, they let me in, being physically a child, probably because they’re just as dumb as the sorting hat. Of course, since I’m underage, I would have had the trace on me, and the Ministry would have been over the second I broke out of my own cell, seeing as it’s a spell coming over from Azkaban, but I managed to override it. However, it should be wearing off soon, so we’d better go,” Tom explains, basically summarising what he’s been planning before the holidays. He hadn’t exactly thought it would happen so easily, though. 

***

The next morning, the Daily Prophet of course has some news. 

_ MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN _

_ The Ministry of Magic announced late last night that there has been a mass breakout from Azkaban.  _

_ Speaking to reporters in his private office, Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic, confirmed that eight high-security prisoners escaped in the middle of the day yesterday, and that he has already informed the Muggle Prime Minister of the dangerous nature of these individuals. _

_ “We are doing all we can do to round up the criminals, and we beg the magical community to remain alert and cautious. On no account should these individuals be approached,” said Fudge last night.  _

There are photos surrounding the article of the escapees, including Bellatrix, Rodolphus, Dolohov, and Rookwood. 

Tom had gone back to the Dursleys, and wow, is it awful to live with them. Tom can’t decide if it’s worse than living at an orphanage or not. 

Right now, he’s lying on his bed, with the Daily Prophet, that Hedwig had very kindly delivered to his windowsill, spread in front of him. If Hedwig is suspicious that he’s not really Harry, at least she still delivers his mail, and also, why should she care if he’s not Harry? Tom still feeds her and all that. 

***

On Christmas morning, Tom is shocked to find that he actually has some Christmas presents that Hedwig delivers. This is… very new to him. He didn’t exactly get any gifts at his orphanage, and though he was kind of popular at Hogwarts, no one was really close enough to him to know what to get him. But apparently, some people actually liked Harry enough to get him stuff.

Tom gets a fifty-pence piece from the Dursleys, a flute from Hagrid (oh that’s right, Tom’s still apparently friends with him), a sweater with a ‘H’ on it (at least it’s green. Tom likes green stuff) and a box of fudge from Molly Weasley (why does she think that Tom is friends with Ronald?  _ Does  _ she think that?), chocolate frogs from Hermione, a random anonymous invisibility cloak, and a little snake medallion from Draco so he can ‘express some Slytherin pride’. Honestly the only things he feels like keeping are the invisibility cloak, because it’s a Deathly Hallow, the fifty-pence, because once upon a time he could have bought so much with it, and the snake thing, because snakes are always cool. 

***

Sometimes Tom would find himself just staring out the window, hoping a death eater would appear, because he has no way to contact them, and sometimes gets lonely. Other times he has a desperate need to talk to them about the thing nagging him in the back of his head.  _ How to get the stone without Voldemort killing Tom, and without Tom killing Voldemort or Quirrell?  _ And, how would he convince Hermione to just hand over the stone to Tom once she got it? He guesses it’s just about trust. He needs Hermione to trust him, which he’s already working on. He’s even sent her a few letters in the holidays, but still, Tom just wants to see, well, Bellatrix mostly, but any close death eater will do. And that’s right, he hasn’t told any non-jailed death eaters that he’s back, like Lucius. It’s times like this he wishes he has a Dark Mark hanging around. Or, he could perhaps use less discreet ways of contacting them.

_ To Bellatrix, Lucius, and Rodolphus, _

_ I’m just assuming you’re all there. I know at least Lucius lives here, so there’s a start. Even if you told the ministry that I bewitched you to join me, you’re fine for now. _

_ Since I’m sending this by owl, I can’t tell you much, but basically I just want to see you all. If you’re confused, ask Bellatrix. Or Draco, actually. _

_ From Harry Potter _

_ P.S. I’m at 4 Privet Drive. _

He’s probably never written a dumber letter, but it will do. He gives the letter to Hedwig, and tells her to deliver it to Malfoy Manor. 

The next day, a letter arrives back.

_ Meet us at the park near where you are on Thursday at 3pm, if you’d like to. _

And so it’s settled. Tom is excited. 

He goes downstairs on Thursday, finds Petunia Dursley, tells her that he’s going out, doesn’t wait for a reply, then goes to try and find this park. 

When he arrives, he does find Bellatrix, Lucius, and Rodolphus waiting there. Bellatrix turns around almost instantly when he approaches.

“My lord!” she says happily.

“This… is… him?” Lucius pops up an eyebrow.

“Of course, Lucius!” Bellatrix snaps.

“But… it’s Potter…” Lucius says, confused.

“I already explained it to you. Our lord is in Harry Potter’s body, now get over it!” Bellatrix says.

“Bellatrix is right,” Tom smiles. “Hello all. I probably would have invited more, but I have no idea what anyone else’s address is, and I don't think I could call people by touching anyone’s dark mark anymore.”  _ And there’s one person in particular I wouldn’t want to get the call _ , Tom did not add. 

“So,” Tom begins, “Voldemort of course doesn’t know that I’m him and therefore he wants to kill me. And yes, I’ll be using Voldemort to refer to my past self, and I suppose you all can too. Around about this time I was trying to get to the Philosopher’s Stone, whilst I was attached to the back of Quirrell’s head, because, you know, it grants immortality. Harry killed Quirrell with his magical hands in the end, but I don’t want to do that, so Voldemort will still try to kill me if I get the stone from Hermione, because she’ll be able to get the stone out of the mirror hopefully, since the mirror will only allow people who don’t want to use the stone to get it out, and I’m pretty sure Hermione doesn’t. So yeah, any suggestions?”

“I only half-understood what you just said… but couldn’t you just tell Voldemort who you are?” Rodolphus suggests.

“As if he’d believe it,” Tom snorts.

“But surely you’d share similar memories, and you could tell him those,” Rodolphus says. 

“No, because even Dumbledore stores memories involving me in a pensieve, so for all he knows, I could have just looked in there. And even if I used something no one else could possibly know, like, for instance, exactly  _ how  _ I killed Billy Stubbs’ rabbit, he could assume that I just made it up,” Tom says.

“Who’s Billy Stubbs?”

“Just an idiot from my childhood,” Tom avoids saying the word ‘orphanage’. Because not only does he bitterly resent those days, but to know anything like that, you wouldn’t just have to be in his inner-circle, you’d have to be in his inner-inner-circle, and at least one person here isn’t. “Anyway, the point is, we need to find a way for Voldemort not to try to kill me.” 

“My lord, couldn’t we just get the stone? Surely you don’t need Granger, and afterall, I highly doubt Voldemort would try to kill  _ us _ ,” Bellatrix says.

“Unfortunately you can’t. The mirror won’t let you have the Philosopher’s Stone even if you don’t intend to use it yourself, and you want to give it to someone who does. At least, I think so,” Tom says. 

***

The school holidays end all too soon, but at least Tom now has at least a half-formed plan. 

Dumbledore tells them all about how the dementors are going to be kept at the school for a while on Ministry of Magic business, and how no one is to leave the school without permission. He also takes the time to mention that Dementors don’t understand pleading or excuses, to which Tom just snorts. 

Tom asks Hermione one day if she’s read the book Tom knows that Nicholas Flamel is in, then asks about that guy. Hermione rushes off to find the book, reads him the passage about Nicolas Flamel, and then Tom shares his ‘suspicions’ that the Philosopher’s Stone is hidden at the school. 

Hermione has started pestering Tom (and Ronald) about the exams ten weeks away. Though he really doesn’t need to study, he does so anyway, just to make Hermione happy, and in case he had somehow forgotten the kinds of things in the exams, because never had he ever failed an exam, and he isn’t about to start now. 

One day when Tom is finished with his studies, he asks Hermione if she’d like to go somewhere with him. She doesn’t, she just wants to keep studying, but Tom ends up persuading her, and they head down to the third-floor corridor.

“Don’t open the door,” Tom tells her. “Just press your ear against it.” 

She does so, and lets out a small gasp. “I can hear growling. What’s in there?”

“It’s a giant three-headed dog, and I’m almost certain it’s guarding the Philosopher’s Stone,” Tom says.

“How can you be so sure? It could be anything,” Hermione says.

“Yes, but I saw in the Daily Prophet that there’d been a break-in at Gringotts but nothing stolen, which is because they must have been trying to get the stone, but it had already been taken to here, and now, uh… Snape is trying to get it,” Tom says.

“Snape?”

“Yes! Now we’ve got to go in there and get it before him,” Tom says.

“I don’t know, Harry, it doesn’t really add up exactly. It just seems like you’re creating a lot of conspiracies from no evidence at all, really,” Hermione says.

Tom pauses. “Hermione, do you trust me?”

“I- Well, I suppose,” she says.

“Then trust me when I say I  _ know  _ that dog in there is guarding the Philosopher’s Stone, and we’ve got to go in there and get it. I can’t explain how I know, I just do,” Tom says slowly.

“But I don’t think we should go in there, we could get expelled,” Hermione says.

“We won’t, okay? I promise,” Tom never breaks promises that he actually means, no matter the difficulty. “Now we don’t have to do this right now, but we’ve got to at some point. Promise me you’ll help. We need to get to it before Snape does, because clearly if it’s this protected, it could do a lot of damage. Do you want that to happen?”

“I suppose not,” Hermione says, exhaling nervously. 

***

Hagrid has a baby dragon in his care. Of course he does. Some people never change. 

“By the way, Hagrid,” Tom says, ignoring the huge black dragon egg on the fireplace, “we were wondering if you could tell us about what else is guarding the Philosopher’s Stone, besides Fluffy.”

Hagrid looks as though he’s just seen a ghost. “How did yeh know abou’ Fluffy, an’ the Philosopher's Stone?”

Tom smiles in Hermione’s direction, “I told you.”

Hermione looks from Hagrid to Tom, then back again. “Is the Philosopher's Stone really being held here at Hogwarts?”

“Ah,” Hagrid says nervously. “Well, yeah. But don’ tell anyone I said so. Yer not meant ter know abou’ that.” 

“Well, thank you for this,” Tom swiftly approaches the fireplace, grabs the egg and runs out of Hagrid’s hut. Both Hagrid and Hermione run after him, and the few dementors hanging around just stare at them all. 

“Harry! What are you doing?” Hermione calls.

“Wait, don’ touch that!” Hagrid yells. 

“What are you doing with a dragon? They’re not allowed,” Tom demands, his wand to the egg.

“You’ve got a dragon egg, Hagrid? Where did you get it?” Hermione asks.

“I- I won it. Las’ night,” Hagrid says, not taking his eyes off his precious egg. 

“You live in a wooden hut, Hagrid. I think it’s better if I just…” Tom says. “Expulso.”

The egg explodes. Hagrid drops down onto his knees. Hermione runs over to Tom.

“What did you do that for?” Hermione asks sternly.

“He was hiding an illegal dragon, Hermione. What else was I supposed to do?” Tom says.

“You didn’t have to kill it! Ron’s got a brother who works with dragons--you could have sent it there,” Hermione says.

“I don’t like Ronald, remember? Anyway, I doubt Hagrid would have wanted to part with his dragon, even like that,” Tom says, then remembers he needs to be nice to Hermione for just a bit longer. “I’m sorry. You’re right. It was a bit cruel…”

“It’s okay, I know you just wanted to help,” Hermione looks back over to Hagrid, who is still sobbing on the ground. “I’d better…” she walks over and kneels next to Hagrid, trying to coax him up. Tom just waits for her to finish. Well, hopefully that ends one relationship. 


	3. Chapter Three

_ANOTHER BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN_

_The infamous Sirius Black has just been reported to have escaped from Azkaban! Many people are expressing their distress at all these breakouts from Azkaban, and they are questioning the prison’s, and their own, safety. Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, wants to remind everyone to ‘stay calm’, and that the Ministry is ‘trying to round up all of the escapees as quickly as possible’. But on that note, he still begs the magical community to ‘remain alert and cautious’, and that ‘on no account should these individuals be approached’._

_Many people believe that this escape is linked to the other a few days ago, when many of You-Know-Who’s previous followers broke out. This is because not only is Black one of the escapees, Bellatrix Lestrange’s, cousin, he is also suspected to be another of You-Know-Who’s previous followers, and apparently a high-standing one. Many people have also theorised that Black is out there leading these people, or are worried that You-Know-Who may be back, and that is the cause of all the sudden escapes. However, Cornelius Fudge assures everyone that there is ‘no possible way that [You-Know-Who] could be back’._

Well, that was unexpected. Wasn’t Sirius meant to escape another two years from now? It shouldn’t be so soon, but then again, Tom has already messed up the timeline so much that anything is possible.

Hermione, who’s sitting next to Tom at the Gryffindor table for breakfast, looks up from her own copy of The Daily Prophet and turns to Tom with a look of fear. Tom then immediately tries to mimic her look so that he seems more like a normal 11-year-old Harry Potter who’s scared of Voldemort and escaping criminals.

“You don’t think… _he_ could be back, do you?” Hermione asks.

Tom pauses for a second and then says, “there have been so many breakouts, and there’s never been any before, so I think it’s quite likely that he’s back. At least, in some form or another.”

Hermione looks even more terrified now, and Tom accidentally lets the edge of his lips quirk up slightly, so to cover up his sadism quickly, he adds, “Don’t worry, I defeated You-Know-Who once, I can do it again.”

Hermione doesn’t look so reassured, but she nods anyway.

The next day Hermione insists on following Tom everywhere, even inside the boys’ bathroom. She probably would have gone into the cubicle with Tom if he hadn’t told her off, and so she’d ended up just waiting outside the bathroom.

“What is your problem?” Tom asks at the end of the day when he’s trying to get back to their common room and Hermione is still following him around right at his heel.

“Oh, Harry…” Hermione stops walking, sighs, and then says, “I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want to make you too worried, but… I heard the teachers saying that Black is probably going to come after you. To try to kill you.”

“And so you decided that you, a feeble first-year, could protect me from this notorious murderer?” Tom raises an eyebrow and Hermione nods awkwardly. “I’m going to be _fine_ , Hermione. Besides, there are hundreds of dementors all over the school grounds, it’ll be hard to get through.”

“He got past them last time,” Hermione says.

“And there are also lots of teachers here more skilled than you, alright? Stop worrying about me,” Tom says snappishly. People worrying about him makes him feel weird.

“If you say so…” but Hermione, again, still does not look so reassured.

They begin to walk again, Hermione not as close as before thank goodness, but then they stop when they hear a voice coming from a classroom, and Tom realises that the voice is Quirrell’s.

“No- no- not again, please-” Quirrell whimpers.

Tom is about to continue walking because he already knows what that’s about, he was _there_ , but Hermione is still stationed there, confused, and trying to peek into the classroom to catch a glimpse of Quirrell and whoever he’s talking to, Tom supposes.

“Alright- alright-” Quirrell continues to sob, and then he’s running out of the classroom, straightening his turban.

Hermione turns to Tom, concerned.

“What was that all about?” she asks, once Quirrell is out of sight.

“Snape?” Tom shrugs.

Hermione looks back into the classroom to find a door at the other end slightly ajar, and then back to Tom.

“What would he be talking to Quirrell like that for?” Hermione asks.

“I heard that not only is Fluffy guarding the Philosopher’s Stone, but there are other things that the teachers put in place to protect the stone, including one Quirrell put there. Snape must have been making him tell him how to get past it,” Tom says the first thing that pops into his head.

Hermione nods, her brow creasing even more now, thinking it over.

“We have to get to the stone now, before Snape!” Tom says. If they go there before his past self, it’ll make things much easier.

Tom turns to leave, but Hermione stops him.

“Wait, Harry, it’s dangerous. And I’m still worried about Sirius Black. Can’t it wait a bit? We’ll check on Fluffy every so often to make sure it’s still there, and if it’s not, we’ll quickly go after the stone, but for now, can’t we just focus on exams? Please?”

Tom’s shoulders slump, but he eventually agrees, and they head back to their common room instead.

The exams are easy, as he expected, but that doesn’t stop Tom from putting as much effort into them as he always used to and more. It’ll be nice seeing his name at the top of the highest exam results rankings again. Oh wait, it won’t be _his_ name exactly, it’ll be Harry Potter’s, but it’ll still be satisfying.

“You’re finally alone,” someone says awkwardly to Tom one day, a few minutes before his transfiguration exam.

Tom turns to see Draco, whom he hasn’t seen in ages, but here he is again in a cold sweat.

“Good observation,” Tom says bluntly. “So did you just come here to tell me that, or…?”

“No, I. You were the one to let the death eaters out, right?” Draco begins, his eyes seeming to not know where to look.

“Obviously. Who else would be capable?” Tom replies.

“And, uh, Sirius Black…?” Draco asks.

“No, why would I let him out?” Tom is honestly a bit offended.

“Oh, he isn’t a death eater?”

“Of course not! How do _you_ not know that?”

“Well I was only a baby when you… disappeared. I don’t know who is and isn’t a death eater.”

“Oh yeah. Huh.”

“Anyway, so um… how did Sirius do it, then?”

“I have no idea,” Tom admits.

“Oh. Well. Um… congrats on getting the others out though… I guess…” Draco says, looking like he really wants to leave now.

“Thanks…” Tom says, watching Draco scurry off.

That was certainly an awkward encounter, and Tom has no idea what prompted Draco to start it. But it doesn’t really matter, Tom has an exam to get to.

Once the exam week is over, Tom asks Hermione if they could please go get that Stone now.

“You do know we could be expelled, right?” Hermione warns.

“You do know this is a life or death situation, right?” Tom says in the same tone. “If Snape gets it he’ll be immortal, and who would want Snape around forever? He’s also definitely into the dark arts, so who knows what other terrible things he could do with it. He could probably kill us all if he really wanted to, and I’m sure he will want to.”

“I guess you’re right…” Hermione says. “Okay, fine, we’ll go tonight.”

Tom smiles. This magical moment Tom has been waiting for for years is finally coming.

That night, Tom grabs the invisibility cloak he’d gotten as an anonymous Christmas present, and meets Hermione outside the boys’ dormitory.

“What’s that?” Hermione whispers, pointing to the cloak.

“An invisibility cloak,” Tom whispers back, and Hermione gapes. “Come on, quickly, let’s go.”

They make their way to the exit, but are stopped by a shadowy figure standing in front of it.

“What are you doing?” and it’s Ronald.

“None of your business,” Tom says.

“Please go back to sleep, Ron,” Hermione says urgently.

“Nope, I’m coming with you. I don’t want you going anywhere alone at night with Harry. He’s very bloody shady,” Ronald says stubbornly.

Tom would prefer to hex him, but Hermione decides to let him come. She’s very annoying, but Tom has to go with it.

All three of them slip under the invisibility cloak, and then crawl out of the common room. 

All the while they make their way to the third floor corridor, Tom and Ronald’s eyes glare at each other like daggers. And then finally, they arrive at the corridor where Fluffy resides. And dammit, they didn’t end up getting here before Quirrell, because the door is ajar and a harp is lying on the ground.

Fluffy is already looking around for them, because it could smell the three humans, but it couldn’t see them, so they kept the invisibility cloak on to be extra safe.

Tom silently summons the harp towards himself, and quickly begins to play so that Fluffy won’t start running after the harp. Slowly, Fluffy begins to fall asleep, and Tom takes the cloak off them so that he can play easier.

The other two keep looking from Fluffy to Tom, wondering how he made it fall asleep.

He lets Hermione go in through the trapdoor first because he needs to keep playing to keep the dog asleep, and he needs Hermione right now, and he also lets Ronald go ahead because he wants Hermione to think he’s a nice person right until he gets his hands on that stone. Once the other two are through, Tom jumps through too, playing the harp until the last second. And they’re all safe. Well, as safe as you can be landing on devil’s snare.

“How did you know to do that?” Hermione asks.

“I guess I’m just smart,” Tom shrugs.

“Well…” Hermione begins in a stroppy tone.

But then the devil’s snare is trying to get them and there’s no more time to talk.

Ronald starts to scream and struggles to escape, and Hermione is trying to escape too, but by not moving quite so much. Tom just casually gets out his wand and casts some fire, and the plant begins to loosen its grip on them. Soon, they fall through and they're really safe this time for now.

They walk on down a long, stone passageway for a little while.

“Can you hear something?” Ronald asks at one point.

“It’s winged keys,” Tom says grumpily, because he doesn’t want Ronald here.

They then reach the end of the passageway to find a room that is of course filled with lots of flying keys. 

“How about you dash across to the door on the other side, Ronald?” Tom suggests, hoping the keys would attack him and he’d die. But to his disappointment, by the time Ronald has reached the other side, none of the keys have even swooped at him.

“The door’s locked,” Ronald tells the other two, pulling at the door.

Hermione tries alohomora which of course doesn’t work (kind of dumb that it works on a prison cell but not here, hey?), and so Tom points out the brooms.

“I think you have to catch the key like a snitch,” Tom explains. “But it’d be really much easier if you just used accio, so if you can find a big, old-fashioned key, I’ll do that.”

The three begin to look through the busy crowd of keys.

Still looking up to the sky, Ronald asks Hermione, “uh, so what exactly are we even trying to do? This seems really dangerous. Why is this even at Hogwarts?”

“Oh, we didn’t tell you?” Hermione says. “We’re trying to get to the Philosopher’s Stone, which grants you immortality and wealth, before Snape does. Because if he does get it, it could be even more dangerous than what we’re doing right now.”

“Ohhh,” Ronald nods, but he still looks very confused.

Then Hermione points into the air and yells, “there, I see it! The one with the blue feathers crumpled on one side!”

Tom follows Hermione’s finger, and then accios the key down, and huh, it actually works. But now the other keys are after them, so he has to quickly ram this one into the keyhole, and they all get out just in time.

The next room is a massive game of wizard’s chess.

“Now what do we do?” Hermione asks, staring out across to the giant white pieces staring back at them.

“We have to be chessmen,” Tom explains.

Tom and Ronald go up and take the place of two of the black pieces, and then Hermione does the same when Ronald tells her which piece to be.

Tom and Ronald start fighting over what the black side should do, and Hermione eventually has to be the one to split them up and say they can take turns commanding the black pieces. Tom begrudgingly agrees.

It makes Tom nervous, letting Ronald decide what they should do every second turn. Because what if he does something wrong and Tom ends up being smashed to pieces like quite a few of the actual chess pieces so far? But Tom knows there’s nothing he can do about that for now, and he just has to hope that Ronald plays the game in basically the same way as last time in the original timeline, where none of them obviously died.

“I’ve… got to be taken…” Ronald says when it’s his turn to choose. The white queen is there, ready to pounce.

Well isn’t this a nice turn of events? Ronald will die, the game would end next turn, and they could continue on.

“Ron, no!” Hermione

shouts.

“That’s chess!” snaps Ronald. “You’ve got to make sacrifices! I’ll make my move and she’ll take me, and then Harry is free to checkmate the king.”

“But you’ll be crushed!” Hermione pleads.

“Look, I don’t know exactly what you’re doing, but it sounds important. So if I have to be crushed then so be it.” 

“Please-”

“Hermione, we’re running out of time!” Tom grumbles. “Snape could get that stone any minute now.”

Hermione falls silent.

“Ready?” Ronald takes a deep breath. “Here I go--now, don’t hang around once you’ve won.”

Ronald steps forward and the white queen strikes, hitting him hard on the head, and he crumples to the floor.

Tom has to be honest, the kid is pretty brave. Well, he _is_ a Gryffindor, so it makes sense. But still.

Tom then makes the final move and the game is won. The chessmen part and bow, leaving the door ahead clear. Tom and Hermione quickly make their way towards it and into the next passageway.

“Do you think he’s--?” Hermione begins nervously.

“He’ll be fine,” Tom says, even though he doesn’t believe it.

The next room has a troll knocked out on the ground, which had obviously been taken care of already by Quirrell and Voldemort, or as Hermione thinks, Snape.

The next room has a table with seven differently shaped bottles on it. When they step forward, purple fire bursts from the entrance they’d just come from, and black fire bursts from the exit, trapping them.

Hermione finds a note which basically explains what to do (choose a bottle to drink from) and a few clues.

“Brilliant,” says Hermione. “It’s not magic--it’s logic--a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards haven’t got an ounce of logic, they’d be stuck in here forever.”

“Which is exactly why we’re not going to get stuck,” Tom says.

Hermione agrees, and then begins to try and work it out in her head, looking up at the roof as she does, but Tom goes and grabs the smallest one whilst she’s doing this.

“Got it,” he says.

“Oh! Yes, that seems right. Good job,” Hermione says, a little jealous that Tom figured it out first. Tom smirks. “Oh, but there’s only a little bit left. Only one person can get through,” Hermione realises.

Tom uses a spell to enlarge the concoction. “Not anymore!”

Although there isn’t actually any more potion than before the spell, it’s easier to divide it in half so they can both have some. And that’s exactly what they do.

When they step through the black fire, Hermione gasps.

“That’s not Snape! That’s- that’s-” Hermione stammers.

Tom pretends to be shocked too.

“I wondered whether I’d be meeting you here, Potter,” Quirrell says, then turns to Hermione. “I wasn’t expecting you, Granger. But oh well, the more the merrier.”

Quirrell snaps his fingers and rope appears out of thin air, wrapping itself around Tom and Hermione. Tom doesn’t even struggle, he doesn’t have to yet, but Hermione certainly is.

“Now, wait quietly you two, I need to examine this interesting mirror,” Quirrell turns to the Mirror of Erised.

“Wait, even if Snape’s not here, did he make you do this?” Hermione asks Quirrell once she’s finished struggling to escape the ropes. 

“Heavens, no. Snape’s not involved at all,” Quirrell explains. 

“But we thought we heard Snape threatening you a few days ago in a classroom--you were sobbing!” Hermione says.

Quirrell pauses and he looks fearful for a second.

“Sometimes,” Quirrell begins. “I find it hard to follow my master’s instructions--he is a great wizard, and I am weak.”

Hermione turns to Tom, who just shrugs.

“Now shut up,” Quirrell commands. “I need to focus on this mirror. It’s the key to finding the stone.”

He goes back to the mirror and starts muttering about all sorts of things like what he sees in the mirror, and how he’s meant to get to the stone.

“Use the boy… Use the boy…” came Voldemort after a little bit.

A shiver runs down Tom’s spine. And what? No, he can’t be scared of his own voice! That’s just wrong!

“Yes--Potter--come here,” Quirrell rounded on Tom.

“No, no, I don’t think you want _me_ . Use the _girl_. She’s much more useful,” Tom says quickly. Hermione looks at him, feeling betrayed, and so Tom just mutters, “trust me, I know what I’m doing.”

Hermione looks away again, slumping down a bit.

“The girl, then…” Voldemort says after a moment.

“Very well,” Quirrell turns to Hermione now. “Come here, Granger.” He claps his hands and Hermione’s rope bindings fall to the ground.

Hermione slowly gets up and cautiously walks toward Quirrell.

“Very good, now look in the mirror and tell me what you see,” Quirrell says.

Hermione stares intensely at the mirror for about half a minute.

“ _Well_?” Quirrell snaps. “What do you see?”

“I… I…” Hermione begins.

Hermione has no idea what the Mirror of Erised is actually for, so she couldn’t lie very well if she sees the stone.

“I just see myself… it’s a mirror…” Hermione says, her face burning. And her fingers curl around a lump in her pocket. Aha, so she must have it!

Quirrell starts stalking towards Hermione, but then Voldemort speaks again. “She lies… she lies…”

Hermione starts to back away, but Quirrell grabs a hold of her.

“Tell me the truth! What did you see?”

“N- nothing! I swear!” Hermione struggles to get out of Quirrell’s grip, and she looks frantically towards Tom who’s just sitting there, watching the show.

But then Tom decides it’s time to break free, and he does so, with a spell, just as Voldemort says, “let me speak to them both… face to face…” and Quirrell turns around.

Tom’s scar stings again and he clutches his head as he stands up.

“Hi,” Tom grits out, still in pain.

“Harry Potter...? What are you doing...?” Voldemort says.

“Run, Hermione!” Tom yells and she does.

“Get her!” Voldemort orders Quirrell, and so he runs after her, but Tom has to stop him. He clutches onto his arm, but then lets go as more pain shoots through his scar, and Quirrell’s arm starts to blister.

“Oh, sorry, Quirrell,” Tom says honestly.

Quirrell is running over to Hermione again, and Tom has no choice but to grab a hold of him again, even if it hurts both of them. But then it’s too late for Quirrell and Voldemort, and Hermione is gone.

Quirrell spins around again so that Voldemort is facing Tom.

“How dare you! You lost me my stone, boy!” Voldemort screams.

“Actually I didn’t, but that’s something you’ll only understand when you’re older,” Tom says calmly despite his scar still throbbing.

Voldemort glares at him. “I’ll kill you!”

“Aw, really? I didn’t want to hurt Quirrell anymore but I guess I have to then,” Tom grabs a hold of him yet again, this time his face, Quirrell fighting back, trying to get to Tom’s neck upon Voldemort’s command to stop caring about how much pain he’s in. “I’m really sorry. I’ll miss you. You were pretty okay.”

And Quirrell is nearly dead. And they’re both in so much pain. Too much pain. And then… blackout.

Then suddenly Tom is somewhere else, and it takes him a moment to adjust. There’s a… face. And he’s… on a bed. And… Tom blinks a few times and things come into better focus. Oh look, it’s Dumbledore, and he’s in the hospital wing. What is Dumbledore doing visiting him here? And what had happened? And why does Dumbledore look so _old_? Something weird had definitely happened.

And then Tom realises that this body he’s in isn’t his own, and then he remembers all of it. He’s Harry Potter now and he tried to get the Philosopher’s Stone. And Hermione had it. So where is she?

“Good afternoon, Harry,” Dumbledore says pleasantly.

“Sir, where’s Hermione?” Tom asks, sitting up.

“Ah, don’t worry, she got out alright. As did Mr Weasley, and he’s recovered now,” Dumbledore explains.

_That’s not what Tom was asking_.

“And the stone?” Tom asks.

“Miss Granger gave it to me and it has been destroyed,” Dumbledore says.

Tom’s jaw drops. “It _what_???”

Bloody Dumbledore. Tom wants to kill someone right now, but he tries not to look quite so mad.

“It had to be done. And Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel agreed it was for the best, and are prepared to die,” Dumbledore explains.

Tom slumps down on his hospital bed, and sighs deeply, not even caring if that makes Dumbledore suspicious for any reason.

“You shouldn’t worry, to someone as young as you, death may seem scary, but to Nicolas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well-organised mind, death is but the next great adventure-” Dumbledore begins.

“That’s great,” Tom says, jumping up. “But I really should be finding my friends.”

Dumbledore chuckles. “I’m not sure Madam Pomfrey will want you leaving yet. But perhaps your friends can come here. I’ll leave you for now then, if you’d like.”

Tom’s head is still throbbing, actually, so he throws himself back onto his bed and sinks into it as Dumbledore leaves.

Tom’s ‘friends’ aren’t actually allowed in, but it’s okay, it’s not like Tom wants to see them anyway. And then he realises that he’d been picturing Ronald as one of these friends in his mind the whole time. Huh, how strange.

The end-of-year feast arrives, and Tom is allowed to go to it. The hall is decorated with green and silver to celebrate Slytherin winning the House Cup. Even though Tom isn’t in Slytherin this time, and thus incapable of gaining Slytherin any points, he still beams with pride at the win.

Everyone starts to talk loudly about Tom as he walks in, and they all try to sneak looks at him and Hermione as he sits next to her, but the chatter dies down when Dumbledore walks in.

He does his speech, and then announces the house rankings. “In fourth place, Hufflepuff with 352 points; in third, Ravenclaw with 426; Gryffindor have 462, and Slytherin, 472.”

All the Slytherins cheer, and Tom does a little clap under the table.

“Yes, yes, well done, Slytherin,” Dumbledore says. “However, recent events must be taken into account.”

The Slytherins’ smiles drop a little, and Tom stares up at Dumbledore.

“Ahem,” continues Dumbledore. “I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes… First, to Mr Ronald Weasley, for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house 50 points. Our dear Mr Harry Potter played it very well too, but he will be receiving other points soon.”

Dumbledore looks right at Tom then, and he stares blankly back, unsure of how to act right now.

All of the Gryffindors cheer except Tom, but in all the uproar, nobody probably notices.

“Second, to Miss Hermione Granger, for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house 50 points. Yes, yes, Harry Potter may have been the one who actually figured it out, but Miss Granger still tried.”

Now _that_ is just ridiculous. Hermione got awarded _50_ points for _trying_? And they say Snape is biased to his own house...

The Gryffindor table bursts into cheers again, and Hermione buries herself in her arms.

“Thirdly, to Mr Harry Potter, for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house 60 points.”

So much more uproar now. It’s deafening. It stops when Dumbledore raises his hand, but Tom has had enough. It’s _his_ turn to speak now.

“This is _outrageous_ !” Tom yells, and Dumbledore looks to him with pleasant surprise. “You mislead Slytherin, make them think they’ve won, and then you award a bunch of Gryffindors points for _breaking the rules_ . There isn’t even any real logical reason behind them. ‘OoOooOh, Hermione _tried_ to do something and even though she’s incompetent and wasn’t as quick as Harry, _she still deserves points_ ’. Very good job of that, Dumbledore. Please just take away Gryffindors last-minute fake points, or better yet, give them to Slytherin! _They_ deserve them!”

The whole hall is in shock. Gryffindors, Slytherins, teachers, _everyone_.

***

“Do you know why you’re here, Harry?” Dumbledore asks.

The feast is over and Tom is sitting in the chair opposite Dumbledore in his office.

“I spoke out of line and thus deserve detention,” Tom mutters.

Tom has never actually had detention before. It’s funny, the way Hogwarts works. Murder someone? No detention. Speak up about inequality? Detention.

“Exactly. However, as I got exactly what I wanted from that little show of yours, there is no need for a detention,” Dumbledore says calmly. Tom stares in confusion but says nothing. “You may go.”

Tom gets up to leave, but then Dumbledore adds, in that same, calm, cool, voice, “enjoy your holiday, Tom.”

Tom stops dead. His breath catches in his throat. His heart rate quickens.

He spins around to face Dumbledore, a mix of fear and anger in his eyes. “ _What_ did you just say?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the reason Gryffindor originally came second instead of fourth is because they never lost 150 points when they tried to give Norbert to Charlie, and honestly there were probably lots more point differences, but I could only be bothered to figure that one out oop lol


End file.
